We all know there’s no free lunch. Continuous improvement (CI) takes time and energy. There’s a significant learning curve, skilled people need time away from “normal” work to analyze and plan improvements, and there is the disruption change causes.

Let me tell you something you already know. The world ain’t all sunshine and rainbows.... But it ain’t about how hard ya hit. It’s about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward.—Rocky Balboa

What are the best ways for a foreign company to monitor quality at a contract Chinese manufacturer? What groundwork should you lay before working with a Chinese supplier?